Well Maybe What You Want is Right Here - Epilogue
Title: Well Maybe What You Want is Right Here - Epilogue
Pairing: Arizona/Callie
Rating: M
Summary: Sometimes we don't realize what we want until we just know. And sometimes we realize that certain things are worth fighting for. Starts a day or two after the scene in 11x08, and follows Callie and Arizona over the next year and possibly more. Timeline may not be perfectly canon.
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Sofia
"Wait, so your mom is Callie Torres? The Dr. Callie Torres, Harper Avery winner and leading name in bionic medicine?"
I slide my lunch tray onto the table and drop into a seat unceremoniously. It's certainly not the first time I've been asked that question, especially given that I went to my other mom's alma mater for undergrad and med school, and her reputation and that of her wife clearly proceeded her. I thought I'd have at least more than a week before my brand new colleagues figured it out, but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised since I'm in the very hospital where my parents still work, and gossip travels through this place like wildfire.
"Yep, that's the one."
The girl sitting across from me - Rachel, I think her name is - leans in with an equally enamoured look on her face.
"That means Dr. Arizona Robbins-Torres is also your mom, right? Oh wow, I would love to meet her. I'm really interested in fetal surgery -- and she practically pioneered some of the latest methods. You know, she has a Harper Avery too," she points her fork across the table, "A girl I know got to work with her once and said she was incredible."
"Holy shit. I want to meet Dr. Torres. I read a bunch of her research last year and I totally want to get into bionics -- " the guy on my left pipes up again, sounding totally awed, "can you introduce me sometime?"
Laughing, I just pick up my pathetic looking sandwich from the tray. I remember these sandwiches from childhood -- some things never change.
"Sure. I'm sure she wouldn't mind showing you around the bionics lab."
I swear his eyes almost bug out of his head. He's cute - even if I can't remember his name yet.
"What about Dr. Robbins-Torres?" Rachel sips her coffee, glancing over hopefully again, "I saw her name on the board the other day, but I haven't noticed her around."
"Oh yeah, definitely. She's super big on teaching, so she'll probably give you a full on lecture about whatever you ask her. I mean...you guys will end up on their rotations eventually anyway, you know. But I can introduce you beforehand."
"I can't believe those are your parents. You were raised by two of the most brilliant doctors of the last generation. I mean...they're practically legendary. That must be so cool."
"Yeah, they're alright, " I swallow and shoot them a grin, and like so many identical situations throughout med school, it's suddenly very much time to change the subject, "so anyways - what do you guys think of our resident so far?"
The girl at the end of the table -- who's been fairly quiet up until now -- makes a comment that sets the whole table off laughing, and the conversation easily switches to our slightly terrifying resident doctor and the hoops she's been making us jump through for the last couple of days. I like these people so far, and I'm glad for it. And I'm glad to be back in Seattle, even though I kind of protested the idea when my moms wanted me to apply for residency here. I know I'm lucky to have gotten in -- it's one of the top-ranked teaching hospitals in the country -- and I'm happy with the knowledge that neither of them had anything to do with it, because that's not the kind of parents they are, or the kind of professionals.
I laugh loudly at something Rachel says beside me, and catch a glimpse of dark hair and a familiar silhouette out of the corner of my eye. When I turn to look, I see mom watching me for a moment from across the cafeteria, but she just smiles proudly before giving me a quick wink and heading to join some of her own friends. They both promised not to intrude on my life as an intern, and not to treat me any differently than any of the others in the program, and they've been sticking to their word. I'm grateful for it, and I respect them even more for it. If they taught me and my sister anything over the years, it was how to work for what we want. Audrey had always been a bit of the wild child -- she's creative and adventurous, and although she'd been accepted into pre-med, very much having inherited our mothers' intelligence, she'd chosen to take a path entirely her own.
But I know I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. I want to be exactly like them.
*
Audrey
"What? Momma, what? Hold on, I can't hear you."
I grab my jacket -- mom's old leather one that she reluctantly let me steal -- and shrug it on, taking my camera bag with me and heading across the small club and outside to the sidewalk. The band inside is warming up for a quick rehearsal before they play tonight, and I was taking the opportunity to get a few shots in. But between the sound checks and the drummer beating away, I couldn't hear a word my mother was trying to say in there.
"Okay, sorry. I'm outside now -- what were you saying?"
"I was just asking if you're still planning on coming home this weekend for mom's birthday. You never replied to my email the other day."
"Shit, sorry -- yeah of course I'm coming! Last week was nuts, with the apartment hunting and getting all my school papers sorted out -- we found a great place, by the way. Wait til you see it. I might stay for a few weeks though, if that's okay? Our lease doesn't start til the first of next month."
I'd just traveled across country a week previously, having finished my undergrad in New York, to move to Berkeley, California where I'd be starting the graduate program in photojournalism come fall. It had been a whirlwind of a week, but it felt good to be back on the west coast, back a little closer to my family. As much as I'd been reluctant to admit it, I'd missed my parents a lot when I was away at school.
"Of course that's alright! We'd love to have you home, honey. Sofia actually has next Saturday off too."
"I know -- I talked to her yesterday. I can't wait to see everyone!"
My older sister and I have always been close, despite having a five year gap between us, and even though she's insanely busy now as a surgical intern we still talk or text almost every day. We made plans weeks ago to get together and catch up without the moms.
"So are you bringing your girlfriend?"
"Ma--" I groan a little, leaning back on the outside brick wall, "Jess isn't my girlfriend, she's just my friend. Well, and my...uh, new roommate. Cohabitator, if you will. Partner in crime."
Okay, momma might be right, actually. Jessica kind of is my girlfriend -- and I know they both know it -- but I am so not ready for my moms to start gushing about weddings and marriage and god knows what else. They've always been very supportive of my sister and I's ambitions and career goals, and they want us to be independent, but I know them -- mom especially -- and that woman wants grand-kids like nobody's business. But I mean, come on, I'm twenty-one years old. I'm not anywhere near ready for commitment like that.
"Mmhm," the older woman just hums in response on the other end of the phone, "well, your friend Jess is welcome to come if she'd like."
"She probably will...for a few days, anyway, before she heads to Vancouver to see her parents."
"Make sure you bring your portfolio from your grad exhibit. Gram and gramps will be here, and they really want to see it."
I smile a little at the tone of her voice -- pride evident as she mentions my big photography exhibit that the university had chosen to display this past spring. Both of my parents had always been a little in awe of my artistic talents, given that the rest of the family had more of the science brains, and they'd come all the way out to New York to see the exhibit in April. My abuelo had come too, and even Sofia had managed to visit on a few free days from med school, but gram and gramps hadn't been up to the trip.
"I will, definitely. I should probably get going though -- these guys are actually paying me for photos tonight, so I better take some."
She laughs softly, and I grin into the phone at the sound. I can't wait to visit home and see them all. I really have the best family a girl could ask for.
"I'll call you tomorrow, okay? I love you. Tell mom I say hi."
"I will. We love you too, sweetie."
"I know."
*
Callie
I watch the blonde as her eyes land on the envelope propped up on the table. It's a plain envelope, with only her name on front, and the vase behind it is filled with a bouquet of her favourite purple irises. You'd think after all these years, I wouldn't be so nervous about a gift I'd bought for my wife, but I can feel a faint flutter of butterflies in my stomach as she turns to eye me curiously.
"What's the occasion?"
She picks it up, smiling as she lightly fingers the flowers and leans in to sniff at them.
"Just..." I shrug a little, biting my lip, "um, Wednesday?"
Her laugh rings out into the living room and she slides the envelope open, pulling out the cardboard folder inside. When she turns it over and sees the plane tickets, her eyes immediately widen and I can't help but grin at the look of utter surprise on her face.
"We've been married for almost twenty-three years, Arizona. And we've traveled some with the kids, we had family vacations, but I realized a few months ago that I never did take you to the one place I always promised. And we never ended up going anywhere for our twentieth anniversary like we wanted...so this is kind of a late celebration of that."
She looks up at me, her expression softening to one of complete adoration at my words.
"The girls are busy with their own lives, so...this time, it's just you and me."
I smile and step forward, circling my arms around my wife's waist and pulling her close. She looks down at the tickets again, and then blue eyes are gazing straight into mine, delight evident as she waits for me to speak again. I know she remembers.
"Just you, and me...and a beach in Spain."
Her lips meet mine instantly and she kisses me softly, lingering for a long moment before she wraps her arms around my neck in a loving embrace. It's hard to remember there was a time when I thought I could live without this woman; when we thought we could live without each other, and give up everything we had -- give up this. Now we have a lifetime of memories, and love, and inside jokes. We have two incredible grown-up daughters. We've had amazing careers. Now...I feel like we truly have everything.
And the moment Arizona pulls back to reply, the light in her eyes tells me she feels the same way too. She knows exactly what I mean. It's always been right in front of us, always been...each other.
"You and me, and Spain, and sangria."
Pairing: Arizona/Callie
Rating: M
Summary: Sometimes we don't realize what we want until we just know. And sometimes we realize that certain things are worth fighting for. Starts a day or two after the scene in 11x08, and follows Callie and Arizona over the next year and possibly more. Timeline may not be perfectly canon.
Disclaimer: All television shows, movies, books, and other copyrighted material referred to in this work, and the characters, settings, and events thereof, are the properties of their respective owners. As this work is an interpretation of the original material and not for-profit, it constitutes fair use. Reference to real persons, places, or events are made in a fictional context, and are not intended to be libelous, defamatory, or in any way factual.
Sofia
"Wait, so your mom is Callie Torres? The Dr. Callie Torres, Harper Avery winner and leading name in bionic medicine?"
I slide my lunch tray onto the table and drop into a seat unceremoniously. It's certainly not the first time I've been asked that question, especially given that I went to my other mom's alma mater for undergrad and med school, and her reputation and that of her wife clearly proceeded her. I thought I'd have at least more than a week before my brand new colleagues figured it out, but I suppose I shouldn't be surprised since I'm in the very hospital where my parents still work, and gossip travels through this place like wildfire.
"Yep, that's the one."
The girl sitting across from me - Rachel, I think her name is - leans in with an equally enamoured look on her face.
"That means Dr. Arizona Robbins-Torres is also your mom, right? Oh wow, I would love to meet her. I'm really interested in fetal surgery -- and she practically pioneered some of the latest methods. You know, she has a Harper Avery too," she points her fork across the table, "A girl I know got to work with her once and said she was incredible."
"Holy shit. I want to meet Dr. Torres. I read a bunch of her research last year and I totally want to get into bionics -- " the guy on my left pipes up again, sounding totally awed, "can you introduce me sometime?"
Laughing, I just pick up my pathetic looking sandwich from the tray. I remember these sandwiches from childhood -- some things never change.
"Sure. I'm sure she wouldn't mind showing you around the bionics lab."
I swear his eyes almost bug out of his head. He's cute - even if I can't remember his name yet.
"What about Dr. Robbins-Torres?" Rachel sips her coffee, glancing over hopefully again, "I saw her name on the board the other day, but I haven't noticed her around."
"Oh yeah, definitely. She's super big on teaching, so she'll probably give you a full on lecture about whatever you ask her. I mean...you guys will end up on their rotations eventually anyway, you know. But I can introduce you beforehand."
"I can't believe those are your parents. You were raised by two of the most brilliant doctors of the last generation. I mean...they're practically legendary. That must be so cool."
"Yeah, they're alright, " I swallow and shoot them a grin, and like so many identical situations throughout med school, it's suddenly very much time to change the subject, "so anyways - what do you guys think of our resident so far?"
The girl at the end of the table -- who's been fairly quiet up until now -- makes a comment that sets the whole table off laughing, and the conversation easily switches to our slightly terrifying resident doctor and the hoops she's been making us jump through for the last couple of days. I like these people so far, and I'm glad for it. And I'm glad to be back in Seattle, even though I kind of protested the idea when my moms wanted me to apply for residency here. I know I'm lucky to have gotten in -- it's one of the top-ranked teaching hospitals in the country -- and I'm happy with the knowledge that neither of them had anything to do with it, because that's not the kind of parents they are, or the kind of professionals.
I laugh loudly at something Rachel says beside me, and catch a glimpse of dark hair and a familiar silhouette out of the corner of my eye. When I turn to look, I see mom watching me for a moment from across the cafeteria, but she just smiles proudly before giving me a quick wink and heading to join some of her own friends. They both promised not to intrude on my life as an intern, and not to treat me any differently than any of the others in the program, and they've been sticking to their word. I'm grateful for it, and I respect them even more for it. If they taught me and my sister anything over the years, it was how to work for what we want. Audrey had always been a bit of the wild child -- she's creative and adventurous, and although she'd been accepted into pre-med, very much having inherited our mothers' intelligence, she'd chosen to take a path entirely her own.
But I know I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. I want to be exactly like them.
*
Audrey
"What? Momma, what? Hold on, I can't hear you."
I grab my jacket -- mom's old leather one that she reluctantly let me steal -- and shrug it on, taking my camera bag with me and heading across the small club and outside to the sidewalk. The band inside is warming up for a quick rehearsal before they play tonight, and I was taking the opportunity to get a few shots in. But between the sound checks and the drummer beating away, I couldn't hear a word my mother was trying to say in there.
"Okay, sorry. I'm outside now -- what were you saying?"
"I was just asking if you're still planning on coming home this weekend for mom's birthday. You never replied to my email the other day."
"Shit, sorry -- yeah of course I'm coming! Last week was nuts, with the apartment hunting and getting all my school papers sorted out -- we found a great place, by the way. Wait til you see it. I might stay for a few weeks though, if that's okay? Our lease doesn't start til the first of next month."
I'd just traveled across country a week previously, having finished my undergrad in New York, to move to Berkeley, California where I'd be starting the graduate program in photojournalism come fall. It had been a whirlwind of a week, but it felt good to be back on the west coast, back a little closer to my family. As much as I'd been reluctant to admit it, I'd missed my parents a lot when I was away at school.
"Of course that's alright! We'd love to have you home, honey. Sofia actually has next Saturday off too."
"I know -- I talked to her yesterday. I can't wait to see everyone!"
My older sister and I have always been close, despite having a five year gap between us, and even though she's insanely busy now as a surgical intern we still talk or text almost every day. We made plans weeks ago to get together and catch up without the moms.
"So are you bringing your girlfriend?"
"Ma--" I groan a little, leaning back on the outside brick wall, "Jess isn't my girlfriend, she's just my friend. Well, and my...uh, new roommate. Cohabitator, if you will. Partner in crime."
Okay, momma might be right, actually. Jessica kind of is my girlfriend -- and I know they both know it -- but I am so not ready for my moms to start gushing about weddings and marriage and god knows what else. They've always been very supportive of my sister and I's ambitions and career goals, and they want us to be independent, but I know them -- mom especially -- and that woman wants grand-kids like nobody's business. But I mean, come on, I'm twenty-one years old. I'm not anywhere near ready for commitment like that.
"Mmhm," the older woman just hums in response on the other end of the phone, "well, your friend Jess is welcome to come if she'd like."
"She probably will...for a few days, anyway, before she heads to Vancouver to see her parents."
"Make sure you bring your portfolio from your grad exhibit. Gram and gramps will be here, and they really want to see it."
I smile a little at the tone of her voice -- pride evident as she mentions my big photography exhibit that the university had chosen to display this past spring. Both of my parents had always been a little in awe of my artistic talents, given that the rest of the family had more of the science brains, and they'd come all the way out to New York to see the exhibit in April. My abuelo had come too, and even Sofia had managed to visit on a few free days from med school, but gram and gramps hadn't been up to the trip.
"I will, definitely. I should probably get going though -- these guys are actually paying me for photos tonight, so I better take some."
She laughs softly, and I grin into the phone at the sound. I can't wait to visit home and see them all. I really have the best family a girl could ask for.
"I'll call you tomorrow, okay? I love you. Tell mom I say hi."
"I will. We love you too, sweetie."
"I know."
*
Callie
I watch the blonde as her eyes land on the envelope propped up on the table. It's a plain envelope, with only her name on front, and the vase behind it is filled with a bouquet of her favourite purple irises. You'd think after all these years, I wouldn't be so nervous about a gift I'd bought for my wife, but I can feel a faint flutter of butterflies in my stomach as she turns to eye me curiously.
"What's the occasion?"
She picks it up, smiling as she lightly fingers the flowers and leans in to sniff at them.
"Just..." I shrug a little, biting my lip, "um, Wednesday?"
Her laugh rings out into the living room and she slides the envelope open, pulling out the cardboard folder inside. When she turns it over and sees the plane tickets, her eyes immediately widen and I can't help but grin at the look of utter surprise on her face.
"We've been married for almost twenty-three years, Arizona. And we've traveled some with the kids, we had family vacations, but I realized a few months ago that I never did take you to the one place I always promised. And we never ended up going anywhere for our twentieth anniversary like we wanted...so this is kind of a late celebration of that."
She looks up at me, her expression softening to one of complete adoration at my words.
"The girls are busy with their own lives, so...this time, it's just you and me."
I smile and step forward, circling my arms around my wife's waist and pulling her close. She looks down at the tickets again, and then blue eyes are gazing straight into mine, delight evident as she waits for me to speak again. I know she remembers.
"Just you, and me...and a beach in Spain."
Her lips meet mine instantly and she kisses me softly, lingering for a long moment before she wraps her arms around my neck in a loving embrace. It's hard to remember there was a time when I thought I could live without this woman; when we thought we could live without each other, and give up everything we had -- give up this. Now we have a lifetime of memories, and love, and inside jokes. We have two incredible grown-up daughters. We've had amazing careers. Now...I feel like we truly have everything.
And the moment Arizona pulls back to reply, the light in her eyes tells me she feels the same way too. She knows exactly what I mean. It's always been right in front of us, always been...each other.
"You and me, and Spain, and sangria."